DeviceS
by TsurugiNoMiko
Summary: A little AU fic .
1. Prologue

_A/N: Hey everyone. I got the results of the poll I placed out there a while back and this story is the result. Let us raise the curtain once more..._

* * *

__**~~ Prologue ~~  
**

"Kuh!" A woman's voice pierced through the night, her long golden hair trailing behind her as she used her cape in defense. She extended her hand and networks of light appeared. Coming together in countless layers, they shaped themselves around her hand. In the shapes appeared symbols—characters carved out of light, not space itself. A web of light formed from the characters, thus a pattern was given shape. "Haa!" She pointed the light above her in the sky as the pattern collapsed, burst apart, scattered, reformed, expanded again and then crystallized.

A mass of pink light surged from the symbol made and although fired from a crude position, it flew straight as though guided by malice. The light flew towards its target and smashed against it, releasing its energy and causing the sky to shatter. A few short moments later, the darkness once again swallowed everything.

"Accept your defeat..." Another voice spoke gently as though speaking to an old friend. "Even though you were lauded as the strongest...without a master, you have no hope of defeating me." It echoed through the area despite the fact that they were battling in space.

"..." The woman does not answer. Her actions speak louder than any words could. She narrowed her deep red eyes and fired a second shot, her pure white clothes staining with red as her wounds opened once again. A third shot is fired. A fourth. A fifth. Soon a rain of light strikes her target as she continued to fly through the vastness of the void.

"How futile..." The voice responds, very disappointed at the results. Light gathers in its outstretched hand, replicating what the woman had done earlier. The floating pattern form characters of light forming a barrier that stops the barrage. From the same source, several large beams of light were fired in succession very similar to the ones that she previously fired upon it.

"!" The woman gasped, grasping her cape to protect herself as one of the attacks grazed by her body. She dodged the second and the third, she used the crescent scythe connected to her gauntlet to destroy the fourth, but the fifth bore down upon her from her blind side. "Protection!" She screamed out as 5 red orbs flew in front of her in a circle, a pink light connecting them into the form of a pentagram. "Argh!" She grunted as the force of the attack crashed upon her barrier. The golden gauntlet around her right hand cracked and shattered as the barrier began to give way. Her eyes widened as the energy shattered her defense and struck her square in the abdomen, several of the red orbs shattered and the rest were scattered. She could feel her life force draining away as her power decreased. She raised her eyes at her attacker once more, trying to gauge its next attack.

"Fall..." The ominous voice raised its hand once more, light gathering at the core. This time...this time for sure...the blow would be fatal. The spear of light was launched at incredible speed, even if it wasn't, there was no way for the woman to dodge it.

"Gaah!" She cried out as the light pierced her. Perhaps it was luck or her inherent skill, but it had managed to miss her heart. With very little strength left, she allowed her body to fall and enter the atmosphere.

Still cloaked by the shadows, the opponent watches in silence as the body plunges with the pull of gravity. It makes no attempt to pursue as its target vanishes into the small mass of lights on the surface of the planet. It looks up to the moon and finally relaxes its stance.

"The Wheels of Fate turn once again..." It spoke to no one in particular "But isn't this what you wanted all along...Master?"

* * *

_A/N: A lot of you are probably suspicious now after what happened in BetrayerS (yes I received a lot of comments about it. Some liked it, some...were betrayed by their expectations, and some cried manly tears~) But anyway, I will give you all several guesses who that woman is. There should be enough hints from the title and the situation, but if you still cant guess...I shall include a picture next chapter ^.^_


	2. Chapter 1

_A/N: Hey everyone! I got lots of messages with guesses as to who the woman may be. Some of you got it right, lots of you were fairly close, some gave interesting answers lol. Anyway, its time to find out!_

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_**~~ Chapter 1 ~~**__  
_

"Good night!" A little girl waved as she walked out the front door. "I'll see you in school tomorrow, Arisa-chan!"

"Be careful, Nanoha-chan!" Arisa called back. "It's becoming very dangerous at night these days." She frowned. "Are you sure you don't want someone to walk you home?"

"I'll be fine!" Came the response. "Besides my house is nearby. I promise I won't do anything crazy, ok?"

"Very well then." The other girl frowned for a moment before taking a breath "I'll see you tomorrow!" She smiled and waved back.

Nanoha turned her back and started walking home. True the nights have become rather dangerous in the city, but that happens all over the place, everyone was just worrying like normal. She still made sure to walk in well lit areas and take the straight route home because there was still the possibility that something could happen.

"Wow!" She looked up at the sky as she noticed light streaking across it. It looked like a meteor shower, but one light seemed bigger, closer, more refined and it looked like it was going to crash somewhere nearby. "What is that?" She questioned aloud and began to run in the direction of where it might land.

The dark alleyways were a bad idea, but she knew she'd never catch up unless she bit down her fear and stepped forward. She grit her teeth and summoned her strength as she ran faster and faster, fear and wonder filling her mind.

"Haa...haa...haa..." She breathed as she turned the corner and arrived at the site. The white light was only a few meters in the air and unlike most falling objects, it descended slowly. She covered her eyes until they adjusted and noticed that the light was actually a person. "A white...angel" She breathed out unconsciously.

A woman with long golden hair and pure white clothing descended slowly to the ground. Once her feet landed, the light dissipated slowly and her body fell as if its strings were cut.

"Waah!" Nanoha ran up to the woman and stopped in front. "Are you ok?" Were the first words out of her mouth. Despite the incredible view that had filled her vision earlier, the knowledge of the red fluid spreading across the pure white clothing rang alarms in her head. She didn't know what to do, she wanted to touch and help this...angel, but she didn't know if she was capable of doing such a thing.

The woman's deep red eyes opened slowly, its vision filled with the little girl that stood in front of them. Pain soon flashed through them as her body's senses went back to work. "Gah!" She cried out as she tried to move.

"Ah!" Nanoha reacted. "Don't move!" She finally knelt down and grabbed the woman's shoulders. "Stay still, I'll go get help." She reassured and was about to take off when another cry of pain escaped the woman's lips. "What?" She covered her eyes once again as the woman was covered in light, its body changing shape once more. "Huh?" Nanoha looked at her feet once the light faded. Instead of the angel she saw from earlier, a small red ball that looked like a crystal took its place. Curious, she picked it up and noticed that it had several cracks all around it.

"_Power..." _

A voice echoed in her mind, nearly causing the girl to drop the gem.

"_Must...restore...power..."_

Nanoha sensed a presence inside the small object and a very familiar feeling crept under her skin. She knew this, this was the same feeling she had when she touched her mother's secret book. They gave the same aura and warmth yet at the same time, gave the aura of destructive power. "Whoa!" She cried out as her cell phone interrupted her thoughts. "Hello?"

"Nanoha!" Her mother's voice came from the other side. "Why aren't you home yet?" She sounded rather disappointed "Arisa-san called me when you left and you should have been home by now! Where are you?"

"Sorry mom." She answered. "I just saw a comet and made a wish, that's all. I didn't mean to worry you." She frowned at herself and glanced once more at the crystal in her hand. "I will be home soon, ok?"

"Take care of yourself." The worried voice on the other line cut off, allowing the girl to breathe easily once again.

She quietly placed the gem in her pocket and walked on home, her thoughts still confused by everything that transpired. Everything seemed like a dream-the blood was gone, the bright light had vanished, even her sense of fear had dissipated. All that remained as proof of what transpired was the cracked ball she clutched in her pocket.

"_Thank you, Human."_ A voice pop up once more in Nanoha's head causing her to stop in her tracks and look around.

"Who's there?" She called out into the darkness.

"_I have been called many things throughout my existence." _The voice answered. _"My last master called me...Raising Heart."_

"Raising Heart..." Nanoha repeated the words on her lips as she pulled the damaged gem out once more. "You can't be..." She looked at it.

"_I sense power within you..." T_he gem glowed momentarily. _"That is why I am able to speak to you now. I am sorry to put this burden upon you, human, but for now, I will be in your care..."_ The light faded once more as it powered down.

"Wait a minute!" She called out but to no avail, the red ball in her hands didn't respond anymore "..." She stared at it for a few moments longer before the beeping of her wrist watch indicated that the next hour had come. "I better get home or mom is really going to kill me." She frowned at herself and dashed all the way home.

**~xX*Xx~**

"Takamachi Nanoha!"

"!" The girl jumped up at the tone. She knew it was bad, whenever her mother used the full name it was really _really_ bad. All she could down as shrink under the overwhelming gaze and receive her just punishment.

"So?" The interrogation began. "Where have you been?"

"I...er..."

"Even if you saw a shooting star and made a wish, it should not have taken you over forty-five minutes after talking to me on the phone to get here." Momoko's eyes narrowed. "Arisa-chan's house is not that far."

Nanoha racked her brain for some kind of explanation. Saying "Yes mom, I saw a angel fly down from the sky that was wounded and so it became this small crystal ball." Would probably not be in her best interest. So she settled for the one answer she could offer.

"I'm sorry..." She bowed her head. "I am so sorry that I was irresponsible. I didn't know how much worry I was placing on your because of my selfishness. I'm sorry." She pulled the gem out of her pocket. "I saw this and picked it up. I didn't know what to do with it so I decided to take it with me. I didn't realize that so much time had passed already."

Momoko's eyes stared at the gem for several moments before her expression slightly changed. "I understand." She hugged her daughter. "I was just worried about you, that's all. With your father gone, you are the only one I have left. Ok?"

"I'm sorry..." She hugged back. "I promise I won't make you worry anymore."

"Come on, let's have dinner." The mother smiled. "You must be hungry, right?"

"Nnn~!" She nodded and went towards the kitchen. "What are we having tonight?"

"We are having some salmon tonight." Momoko answered. "They were on sale today so I figured we could try it out."

The two sat down and enjoyed a hearty meal together. The conversation lively with the events of the day being their main topic. The gem was placed quietly on the other side of the table, as if it were a silent witness to everything that was transpiring. As odd and out of place as it was, neither the mother or the daughter ever brought it up, like it had erased its existence from their minds by some kind of magic. It was more helpful for the child since she would have had more explaining to do, so she sent up a silent prayer hoping that it would never be mentioned again.

"Thanks for the meal" Nanoha clasped her hands and stood up, making sure to take the gem with her.

"Don't worry about the dishes." Momoko smiled. "You have had a rough day today. Why don't you go on ahead to sleep? I'll clean up here for tonight."

"Are you sure? I am not so tired that I can't help out at all."

"Go on, my dear. You have school again tomorrow, so get your rest."

"Thanks mom." She smiled and went upstairs to her room.

"Good night."

Nanoha hummed to herself as she got dressed to go to sleep, the weight of the day washed away from her mind. She had placed the mysterious red ball carefully atop a cloth layer, almost as if she were afraid it was going to crack even worse than it already had.

"Good night~" She spoke to it, not expecting an answer in return. Her hair flowing behind her as they were free from the ribbons that once held them captive. "I'll try to see if I can get you fixed in the morning." She frowned a little bit before turning off the light and going to sleep.

"_...from strength flows gentleness, from gentleness, strength will prevail..."_ A voice once again entered Nanoha's mind causing her to awaken.

She looked around the room momentarily before resting her eyes on the red gem once more. "It's you...isn't it?" She asked quietly. "What are you...?"

"_You, human, pure of heart...in exchange for being in your care I will answer your question." _The gem emitted a faint glow as Nanoha reached for it and took it with her to the bed. _"I am a Device, an item created of the purest form of magical power. My task has always been and always will be the destruction of Evil."_

"..." The girl remained silent, trying to make out what she could of what was said. She didn't quite understand anything of this magic business, but the fact could not be completely erased either. After all, she's having a telepathic conversation with a gem. "So..." She began after a few moments. "Are you the angel that fell from the sky?"

"_An angel I am not."_ The device responded. _"However, it is I that fell from the sky. The form you saw me in was a manifestation of my power, but only the strongest of us are able to take such forms."_

"Us?" Nanoha shifted in bed. "You mean there are others?" She didn't really need to hear an answer to the question as she remembered how the device looked when they first met. She remembered the pure white clothes that were stained with blood. It was obvious that this device was fighting someone...or something.

"_There are many of us scattered throughout. Some are friend. Some are foe. In the time that I have existed, I have seen many rise and seen many fall. You should not concern yourself with these things, human, for those who tread this path rarely find peace."_

"I see..." Nanoha frowned. "It must be a tough world where you live." She slowly closed her eyes as sleep assailed her.

"_Our worlds are completely different, yet they have their own blessings and curses. I must find a new master and fulfill my duty once and for all."_ The voice sounded determined, yet at the same time sad. Whether the girl heard it or not...perhaps she will never know.

At around the same time, in the living room, under the faint glow of the moonlight, Momoko sat on the couch with a small picture on the table in front of her. The image obscured by the light reflected on the glass.

"It has been twenty years..." She spoke to the picture, glass of alcohol in hand. "I had hoped this day would never come." The sound of liquid being poured echoed through the room. "Let us hope that the legacy left behind will fulfill the tasks that we never could..."

**~xX*Xx~**

"Haaa..." Nanoha yawned as she forced herself up from the comfortable confines of her bed. "Ah!" She jerked back when she felt something unusual next to her. She remembered that she slept with the crimson ball next to her last night but was still unsure if it was a dream. "Good morning." She stated as if testing that theory.

"_Good morning, Human."_ Came the response, nearly knocking the girl out of her bed.

"Uwah! I thought I was dreaming all of this!" She picked up the device. "You really are talking!" She sighed, now fully convinced of what's going on. She cleared her throat in order to settle herself once more. "Nanoha." She stated to the ball. "My name is Takamachi Nanoha."

"_Understood. Good morning, Takamachi Nanoha."_

"Eh..." She scratched her head at the formality. "Umm...could you just call me 'Nanoha' instead? That felt kind of weird for me." She chuckled. "Anyway, Raising Heart...-san, those things you told me about yesterday, the things about fighting Evil and whatnot, who are you fighting against?"

"_I do not want to make you more involved in this situation than you already are. Even though you do have a dark aura around you, you are still too immature as a magus."_

"Dark aura?" She tilted her head. "Magus? You mean like black magic stuff?"

"_You have magical power within you."_ It responded. _"It is typically refered to as the dark arts by the humans of this age."_

"And this magic is the reason I am able to talk to you somehow."

"_Correct."_

"Nanoha! Breakfast is ready!" A voice interrupted the conversation.

"Ah! It's getting late!" The girl looked at the time and jumped out of bed. "I have to get ready for school." She put her uniform on and tied her hair. "Want to come with me?"

"_I only need to stay with you for a little bit longer. Your magical power is increasing my rate of recovery. Once I have regained enough power I will continue on my mission, but first I must find a suitable master."_

"To go fight against Evil again, right?" She paused her action and stared back at the gem.

"_Correct."_

"Ne...what do you need for someone to be your master?" She waited only for a moment before intercepting any chance for an answer. "Come on!" She picked up the gem and placed it in her pocket. "I don't know anything about magic and stuff, but if you are looking for a suitable master, I can at least show you around the city. Maybe you'll find one somewhere."

"_I thank you, Nanoha. Once again I will be in your care."_

"Let's eat!"

**~xX*Xx~**

"So how exactly do you go about finding a master?" Nanoha spoke to the object in her pocket as she walked towards school. "Do I need to show you around to everyone or something?"

"_No. Just as I am able to sense your power, I can detect the presence of other magical beings nearby. If they are strong enough, they can communicate with me with their thoughts."_

"_Like this?" _ Nanoha gave it a try.

"_Indeed."_

"_Well, this is more convenient. At least I won't look weird to everyone else, talking to myself."_

"Morning, Nanoha!" A familiar face greeted her from the cross walk. "What happened last night? Your mother called me about twenty minutes after you left wondering why you still weren't home."

"Sorry, Arisa-chan." She gave an apologetic look. "I went sightseeing because of a small meteor shower last night and I guess I got caught up in it."

"You could have at least called, you know, your mother was worried sick!"

"I know, I know. I just—good morning Suzuka-chan!"

"Good morning!" Another girl bowed as the two approached her. "How are you today?"

The three girls continued on their way towards the front gate when they stopped to look at a scene unfolding in front of them. At the school gate parked a high-class limousine, its driver getting out and opening the door for someone in the back seat. The driver was dressed in a really expensive-looking suit, his dark hair and glasses matched the color of his uniform perfectly. A blond haired girl with an aura of nobility stepped out from the vehicle and nodded to her driver.

"Uwah!" Arisa broke the silence. "Rich people really have it good!"

"Yeah...but, um, who is that anyway?" Nanoha scratched her head.

"What?!" Suzuka was taken aback. "You don't know the famous Fate Testarossa?" She gasped. "The Testarossa family practically controls this entire city! Are you still asleep? I'm sure you've seen their products and stuff on TV."

"Well, I know about the family itself. There is no one here who hasn't heard about them, but I have never seen her before." She admitted.

"Well..." Arisa continued. "She is super smart and she has taken over her mother's role as President of the group, so she rarely has the chance to appear at school." She stated proudly as if talking about herself. "Even so, she is able to pass all her exams and score at the top of her class."

"Wow..." Nanoha's gaze turned once more to the person in question. "I guess that's what it means to be an elite, huh?"

As they approached, they could hear the sound of many voices encircling the girl as her fangroup greeted her and began their usual chatter. The butler bowed at the waist and held his stance for several moments while his master entered into the school before walking back to the driver's seat and leaving.

"_There is a magical presence in this school..."_ Raising Heart's sudden voice interrupted Nanoha's thoughts and actions. _"I do not know if it is friend or foe, but I suggest that you be careful. Because you are with me, you may be in danger."_

"_I understand."_ Nanoha responded and smiled as she entered her classroom. _"By the way, what was your old master like?"_

"_I do not remember..." _The device answered. _"When I last did battle with the enemy, my core was shattered and fragments scattered. Unfortunately, my memories were affected by the missing pieces."_

"_So if we find your missing pieces, you'll get your memory back?"_

"_Even that is uncertain. With the amount of damage I have taken, it may be impossible to recover them completely. That does not change my mission in the slightest however. Even if I have no past memory, my duty is still to battle with the enemy."_

"_That is sad, though..." _Nanoha frowned. _"Memories are part of who we are, if we just toss them away, we are tossing away everything that makes us what we are."_

The conversation ended with the sound of the tone indicating the lunch hour. Nanoha stood up and looked around, deciding if she were going to stay in the classroom or head down to the cafeteria. Her decision was made for her, however, when the sound of familiar voices called to her from the hallway. There stood her two friends Arisa and Suzuka, both of them holding up bento boxes and urging the girl to follow. With a smile, Nanoha nodded and headed towards them.

**~xX*Xx~**

"What is this feeling..." A lone figure stood on the rooftop of the school and glanced down at the students below. "There is definitely something amiss here." Its eyes surveyed the area as it tried to reach out with its senses. "There is no doubt...there is a magus at the school." Its lips twisted into a frown. "There is no one else in this entire city with magical capabilities, so it has to be an enemy created by _that _man."

Another figure appeared behind them and knelt down.

"Find out everything you can about the movements of the enemy." It stated to the new figure. "We have to stop them before they bring chaos once more."

The second figure acknowledged by bowing slightly and vanishing silently, leaving the unknown figure alone once more.

"This is the right thing to do...isn't it, Mother?"

**~xX*Xx~**

"See you later!" Nanoha waved to her classmates as she exited the room. _"Did you find a suitable master in here?"_ She concentrated her thoughts to the device in her pocket

"_No, but there was most definitely a strong magical presence in this area. It did not seem hostile, but one can never be too cautious."_

"_Shall we go around the town then?" S_he pulled the shoes out of her shoe locker and steadily put them on. _"You could find one there somewhere or at the very least be able to understand how the city operates."_

"_Why are you doing this?" _The question waiting to be asked finally surfaced.

"_Because you are on the side of Justice, right? I figured I should help out, besides we're friends, right? Also because I think it's actually interesting~"_

"_This isn't a game."_ The gem chastised. _"Many magus have lost their lives, do not make light of their sacrifices."_

"_I just want to help..."_

"_Being in your care is more than enough help. For that I thank you. I have recovered enough of my power to finally move about on my own so I will be leaving you at first light."_

"_I see..."_ The girl frowned as she continued her way through the city. Her destination was still home, but she decided to take the longer scenic route as thoughts weighed in her mind. She felt sad that she had made a new acquaintance, but they had refused help when it was offered. Sure she wasn't good with magic or understood the depths of what this device was saying, but still...she wanted to help somehow.

"_Stop!" _ The device ordered.

"Wha?" Nanoha said aloud.

At that very moment, the sky and everything around her darkened almost as if all the color was replaced with an eerie shade of purple. Whats more was that when Nanoha looked around her, there didn't seem to be any one around in what used to be a rather busy street.

"What is this?!"

The device flew out of Nanoha's pocket and erupted in a large pink ball of light, the very same one that was displayed at their first meeting. Nanoha covered her eyes momentarily and looked in awe as the light formed itself in the shape of a woman. Long blond hair trailed down her back, a pure white dress covered her body, a golden gauntlet formed in her right hand with a small transparent pink rectangular beam of light formed above it with the words "Standby Ready" glowing in golden letters. A stainless cape completed the ensemble with two red floating orbs similar to what the woman was minutes earlier floated on either side.

"Whoa..." Nanoha breathed finally breaking the silence.

"Get out of here." The woman ordered. "Go find a place to hide. Inside this barrier, you are subject to the laws of magic." Her eyes moved from the girl to the street ahead. "Go." She urged on as a presence came closer and closer.

A small shadow emerged and formed into a little girl with an eye patch over her right eye. Her silver hair contrasted the dark trench coat she wore and her blue-ish suit seemed surprisingly fitting.

"A human." It stated after looking at the two beings in front of her. "No. A Magus."

"She has nothing to do with this." Raising Heart took a stance. "This is between you and me."

"Alright." The girl responded, losing interest in Nanoha entirely. "I was sent here to retrieve you anyway." A small grin formed on her face. "I would like you to come quietly but...I don't think that's going to happen now, will it?" She looked over at her opponent's stance. "My name is Cinque, your ally." She teased.

"My memory may not be complete, but I know my enemy when I see it." Red eyes narrowed. "Prepare yourself. I'll be taking your head." She charged forward.

"Heh." The smile grew even larger as the woman charged at her. She closed her fist and opened it again, forming several daggers between her fingers, flinging it at her opponent.

Explosions erupted as two of the five daggers thrown exploded against a pink barrier, the last three flying past its original target and landed near Nanoha's feet, sending the bystander flying from the force of the explosion.

"Kyaaa!" Nanoha screamed as she flew through the air.

"Nanoha!" Raising Heart looked back.

"Where do you think you are looking?" Cinque grinned as she made use of the opening. "Your opponent is over here~" She charged her fist and shot a energy pulse out at point blank, sending the woman flying against the nearby building. "Or are you more concerned about that human?" She grinned and aimed some explosive daggers at the wounded girl.

"Run!" A voice called to Nanoha from behind.

The brunette looked over her shoulder and saw a familiar girl running over to her. Her eyes widened even more when she realized who it was. Golden hair tied in twin tails enveloped her sight as a girl wearing what appeared to be a sky blue military uniform landed in front of her. Nothing made sense at all but there was no mistake...this was the girl she saw this morning.

"Fate...Testarossa." She stated unconsciously, eyes never leaving the girl's face.

"Hmm?" Fate looked over her shoulder at the one who called her name. "Ah!" She cried out as a dagger detonated in front of her, knocking her off her feet.

"You people don't learn, do you?" Cinque shook her head slowly. "Do you really have time to be looking away from me?"

"Why you-!" Fate glared and rose to her feet, a golden circle forming in front of her outstretched hand. "Photon Lancer!" She called out as several balls of lightning dashed towards her target.

"Heh, that's flashy, but that is all it is!" The silver-haired girl countered with her daggers and effectively neutralized the attack. "Then again that's to be expected from a third-rate mage of the Testarossa family~"

"You are the one who needs to keep their eyes on their opponent!" A voice came from the side. "Rhaaaa!" Raising Heart aimed her gauntlet and fired a beam.

"Kuh!" Cinque grit her teeth as the attack had caught her off guard. "Not bad at all for a rogue device." She held her shield. "But you should know better than to bet everything on simple straight forward attacks!"

"!" The woman's eyes widened as she felt hostility coming from either side of her. She stopped the attack and flew into the air, just dodging the daggers that were aimed at her vitals.

"Defender!" Fate called out as she blocked the dagger that had continued on its course towards her. She brushed off the explosion and was about to counter attack when a scream pierced her ears.

The second dagger had continued on its trajectory and exploded right at Nanoha's feet. The girl was sent flying in the air along with red liquid that had formed rings around her. Fate gasped and realized her mistake. She had forgotten that she was protecting someone and fell for the cheap taunts of the enemy. She turned on her heel and prepared to catch the girl.

Raising Heart's mind pounded. _"It's happening again..." _The thought crossed her mind. _"The bloodshed is happening again..."_ Parts of her memory flooding back to her. _"I swore to her that I would never let this be repeated..."_ The blurred face of her last master flashing across her mind, asking her to remember what it was like to witness the power of destruction and the frailty of human life that must always be protected.

"Good bye, little girl~" Cinque took aim once more in an attempt to kill Nanoha and shatter her enemy's morale.

"No!" Fate screamed as she charged forward.

The force of the explosion forced her to stop. Fate looked in shock at the dark cloud that was once a human life. She grit her teeth and was about to turn around when she felt something from inside the explosion.

"!" She gasped.

A woman stood in mid air as the wind blew the rest of the smoke away. White clothes covered her body, the blue trim in perfect contrast with it. Mid-thigh socks covered her legs while a mini skirt and tail cape formed around her waist. Golden bands formed around her shoes as red and blue gems could be seen all over the outfit, each one seemingly emitting an aura of power. Black gloves and a white jacket formed around her torso with a red ribbon completing the ensemble. The woman's long brown hair tied in twin tails by white ribbons fluttered quietly as its owner's eyes slowly opened

"No...way..." Fate gasped as she realized what had just happened. "This girl..."

"_**From the hate-scorched sky..." **_A voice emanated from the woman, but it did not seem to be her own voice. It seemed to come from another dimension entirely.

"_**With righteous anger in our hearts..."**_

"_**We draw forth the power that smites evil..."**_

"_**Ereinber...SET!"**_

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_A/N: Well how's that lol? What does Momoko know? What is Cinque up to? Who does she work for? Who was Raising Heart's old master? Why is Fate so tiny?! Find out all this and more on the next installment. The link is below as always~ Thanks again~ orz  
_


	3. Chapter 2

_A/N: Hey guys~ Sorry for the delay once again. I've been having some problems medically recently so x.x Well let's have at it again!_

* * *

**_~~ Chapter 2 ~~_**

"That girl..." Fate sat at her office desk and looked through the reports of the aftermath. "Just who in the world is she..." a piece of paper was picked up with Nanoha's picture on it. The profile data displayed throughout stated that she was nothing more than an ordinary 8 year old. So how? How was she able to do that? "Gah..." Fate dropped the papers and leaned back, looking at the ceiling. "What am I doing wrong, Mother?" she turned around and asked the sky through the window behind her "Am I really that lacking as a Magus?" a frown formed on her lips as she recalled the battle

**~ Memory ~**

"_**Ereinber Set complete"**_

"No way..." Fate stated as she saw what appeared to be an older version of Nanoha. She had to have been late teens, early twenty in appearance but that wasn't what astounded the Testarossa girl. "An Ereinber Set..." she grimaced "a state of power where Magus and Device synchronize their senses during a battle..." she murmured as if instructing herself on what it was "the ultimate connection between the two essences, the meshing of their magical power and will." she opened her mouth to call out but was interrupted by someone else.

"What the hell are you, you bastard" Cinque's eyes narrowed

Nanoha's eyes slowly opened, but where there should be light, there was an utter void. The other two gasped when they realized that she was unconscious. Raising Heart was in the form of a red ball and floated in front of the girl in white as if it were awaiting orders.

"..." Nanoha's hand reached out and grabbed the orb, clutching it with her fist and seemingly transforming it into a staff.

"Pretty flashy" Cinque grinned as she prepared more explosive weapons behind her back.

"Restraining limiter seals levels three, two, and one...release." Nanoha's mouth opened sending a chill up Fate's spine and a feeling of dread through Cinque. "Situation level A. Cromwell Approval is now in effect." her dead eyes locked on to the silver-haired girl "Initiating ability usage limiter cancellation until all enemies are destroyed..."

"Dont fuck with me!" Cinque mustered her courage and fired 7 daggers at Nanoha, each which exploded in contact. "Heh, that's what you get for just loligaging around!" she spoke to the cloud of smoke before her eyes widened, her senses telling her of a powerful magical force directly behind her. "Wha-?!" she barely managed to turn around before she was sent flying to the ground by the power generated from an outstretched hand.

"..." Nanoha looked down at her opponent that had been literally blasted into the concrete. No pity, no remorse, no emotion. The only thing that moved was her arm that pointed its index finger towards the target as several pink orbs formed around it.

Fate's eyes widened. She didn't recognize the spell, but she understood its power. She quickly jumped over some debris and used it as cover, knowing that whatever that attack was, it wasn't going to be friendly.

"Axel shooter..." as soon as the words left her mouth, the pink orbs rained down on the little girl without mercy.

The attacks didn't just cover her, but covered the immediate area around her, causing secondary fragmentations to fly around and cut into her clothing and skin. She tried to raise a barrier, but the barrage was so heavy that she could barely keep the protective field around her stable. Cinque knew she had to escape somehow, if she stayed here any longer, the attacks were burst through her protective field and more than likely kill her. Oddly enough, the barrage stopped after a few moments, causing her to look up and wonder why.

"Oi! That's dangerous!" Fate called out from behind the debris once she realized what was happening.

"_**Divine..."**_ the staff emitted a glow as a ball of energy started gathering at the front of the staff

"Shit!" Cinque cursed as the tip of the weapon was pointed at her direction.

"_**Buster" **_it finished as the massive pink energy launched towards its target.

Fate hid herself once more behind the rubble as a massive explosion took place, sending everything within the barrier flying in all directions. When it was all said and done, the beam had not only created a large crater on the ground, but also took out the foundation of the building nearby, causing it to collapse under its own weight. It took several more moments for the dust to clear and things to settle down before Fate was finally able to get up and survey the area.

"Wow..." she breathed as she looked upon the destruction caused. She looked around but she couldnt find any trace of her opponent. Just as she was about to scan for Nanoha, her communicator activated.

"Sir, is everything all right?" a voice came through "We detected the use of large amounts of magical power within the barrier." the voice paused momentarily "The energy signature registered as a AAA rank."

"What?!" she gasped "You can't be serious!" her eyes surveyed the sky and locking on to the cause "Is the target destroyed?" she asked, never taking her eyes of the girl in front of her

"Negative" came the response "the target managed to get away before the explosion of magical power. The enemy is not showing on our radar."

"Understood" Fate hung up and looked as Nanoha slowly descended to the ground "..." she prepared herself in case the unconscious girl in front of her became hostile for some reason. Although it was unlikely, she could never be too cautious in front of overwhelming power.

Nanoha landed quietly and momentarily closed her eyes before her body was wrapped in a bright pink light. Fate shielded her eyes and watched as the light transformed the girl in front of her back to her original size, a red orb floating at chest level. Like a marionette with its strings cut, Nanoha fell forward and Raising Heart dropped next to her.

**~ Memory End~**

"Uwah! I'm alive!" Nanoha opened her eyes suddenly as she sat up in a jolt and looked at the surrounding areas. The last thing she remembered was being flung in the air in pain from one of the daggers that exploded near her. "Oww..." she held her head once the blood circulated back through.

"Ah, you're awake" a voice came from the other side of the door as it opened. A woman in a brown maid outfit stepped through holding a tray in her hands. "Good morning, Takamachi Nanoha-sama" she greeted

"Morning?" Nanoha looked around and noticed she was laying down on a really large bed, the room looked about the size of her entire house and the window was massive "Ahhh!" she came to shock once she finally realized she was in a completely different atmosphere "Where am I?!" she started to panic

"Calm down please" the maid smiled and placed the tray on the table "You are in the Testarossa mansion" she stated "My name is Linith, personal maid to the mistress Fate Testarossa."

"Testarossa..." Nanoha rolled the word in her mouth before her eyes widened once more "you mean _that _Testarossa?!" she received a nod in response "Why?! How?!" she started firing off questions before realizing that the date had changed "Ahhh! Mom is going to kill me! I havent gone home!"

"It is ok" Linith smiled "We contacted your mother and said that we had invited you to spend the night here. She agreed to let you stay so you are safe."

"What is going on, Linith-san?" the girl shook her head, still not fully understanding everything. "Why am I here?"

"The mistress would like to talk to you about that personally" she poured a delicious cup of tea, the aroma itself strong enough to make anyone relax. "For now, why don't you have some?" she offered.

"Hai..." Nanoha gave up asking, knowing that Linith was probably as lost as she was on the whole matter "It tastes really good" she stated honestly "Its very very good"

"Thank you" the woman smiled "It is Rose Hip Tea and I was not sure if it suited your tastes, but I am glad you like it."

"Thank you" the girl nodded again as she got off the bed "Ah" she looked at her clothes. Instead of the school uniform she was expecting to have on, she was dressed in a rather expensive looking set of pajamas "Umm..."

"Ah, sorry" Linith noticed "The mistress said that it would be inappropriate for you to sleep with your uniform on. It was washed and pressed for you just now." she walked over to the closet and pulled out the familiar looking school uniform.

"Thank you" Nanoha took it and felt somewhat secure in this odd situation. "May I go change somewhere?" she looked around the large spacious room for a little private corner

"Ah, excuse me then." the woman understood "When you are finished please call me back in. I will lead you to the mistress."

"Hai."

**~xX*Xx~**

"-and the report?" Fate asked as the door opened, her attention fully set on the man standing before her.

"Ummm..." Nanoha sheepishly interrupted as she entered the room.

"We'll discuss this later" the girl sitting down at the large chair stated before turning her attention to the door "Welcome" she stated "Takamachi Nanoha...or should I say" her eyes narrowed "Raising Heart _EX_"

"Huh?" Nanoha's eyes widened in both shock and confusion "What are you...?"

"You are that Device's master correct?" Fate pointed towards the small gem in Nanoha's hand "You have to be or else you would not have been able to do an Ereinber Set"

"Wait...Master? Ereinber Set? What are you talking about?"

"..." Fate's eyes scanned over the girl, trying to read every motion made in order to further understand the one standing before her

"I have no idea what-" she began again but was interrupted when the ball in her hand illuminated and transformed into the woman Nanoha was familiar with

"I can state for certain that this girl is not my master" the woman spoke "even I am unsure how such a thing was possible"

Fate slightly tensed, thinking that she should prepare a few spells in case something happened, but her butler seemed to be calm almost as if he knew there was going to be no threat at all-a notion that didn't escape Fate's notice

"Bardiche..." she spoke to the man next to her "what do you know about this device?" she moved her gaze

The man known as Bardiche took a step forward and adjusted himself to talk to everyone gathered. His shoulders squared as he presented his report .

"As you already know, the device present is called Raising Heart. Her development, history, and potential fighting ability are all unknown. She currently has no master but does not appear to be a rogue device." he concluded

"Looks like you've done some homework" The woman smirked

"As the head Magus in this area, I ask you: Why are you here? What is your purpose?" Fate advanced the conversation

"I do not remember" she shook her head "my main core was damaged in a major battle and with it parts of my memory were destroyed." she answered flatly "However that doesn't change my mission: the destruction of the Belkans"

Fate's eyes widened at the name. She was the daughter of a high class mage and head Magus of the sector so it was obvious that she would know about them, but here stood a unknown device of unknown origins and unknown power saying that her main objective was to battle an enemy that was long thought to be destroyed.

"I can attest to this" Bardiche nodded "When we scanned her after yesterday's battle, she did indeed appear to have chunks of her core missing. It would be easy to replace the missing pieces of she were able to reunite with her original master, but since we have no idea where to start looking, the prognosis is nigh impossible."

"What are you talking about?" Fate regained her composure "the Belkans were destroyed about twenty years ago. Their leader was killed and their forces were scattered. There is nothing left of them but a fleeting memory."

"That one who attacked us" Raising Heart's red eyes narrowed "She was a Belkan. Not only that. I almost guarantee she was a Number."

Fate was once again taken aback. The Numbers were the most powerful of the Belkans, each one of them being more than a match for several magus. She knew her mother did battle with these powerful beings and managed to defeat them. She always thought of them as mere bedtime stories and never gave them a second thought until...

"You yourself should know how powerless you are against them" Raising Heart's stated brought her back into reality "even if she was merely playing around with us, the power she used was already greater than a Magus."

"Kuh" Fate grit her teeth in anger at the statement but quickly calmed her nerves. Indeed she was a talented mage and indeed she had a lot of training, but that battle had proven greater than her abilities could handle. Had that Number really wanted to kill her, she would already be dead.

"Ummm..." a voice interrupted the conversation "Who are the Belkans?"

All eyes turned to a small corner of the room where a certain individual had been forgotten among the sea of retorts. Nanoha immediately found herself regretting her action as the pressure from before was now solely pointed in her direction.

"Umm...ah...err..." she stammered

"You are a Magus aren't you, Takamachi-san?" Fate sighed and rested against the back of her chair "No, that was a ridiculous question. You wouldn't be able to manage an Ereinber Set otherwise." her eyes hardened in agitation

"I don't know" she shook her head "I don't know anything about a Magus and stuff like that. I just wanted to help Raising Heart here find a master."

"I am well enough now to continue on my own" the woman stated "There is no longer any need for your assistance. It was a short while, but I thank you for lending me your hospitality" she bowed.

"I agree" Fate leaned forward and leaned her head against her intertwined fingers "This world is much too dangerous for you to enter. You should forget everything you saw and heard and live your life normally."

"But..."

"Maybe if you understood the situation, you would change your mind" Bardiche spoke up before looking to his mistress for permission to continue.

"..." Fate gave a sigh of defeat and nodded, thinking that it would be better to scare the little kid instead of trying to force them.

"If I may begin" Bardiche cleared his throat, his grey hair befitting one of a seasoned butler "Twenty years ago a war was fought in the shadows over this very city. The battles were fought inside suppression seals or _Fuzetsu. _The late Master was one such combatant. She was young then, slightly older than you two are now, but she fought with extreme vigor and intelligence way beyond her age. She was without a doubt, the most powerful Magus this family bloodline has produced. Her name was Precia Testarossa."

Fate's eyes wandered to a small picture frame on her desk while Nanoha and Raising Heart continued listening.

"Although the battles were kept inside these suppression seals, there were times where the barrier was not engaged fast enough. That in turn caused widespread chaos among the populace since now the battles were being fought in plain view." he adjusted his monocle "We of the Testarossa family have been trying to keep the public eye unaware of the battles that take place in the shadows but incidents like that have been unavoidable in some cases so we've had to take drastic measures to keep things covered up."

"You can't mean..." Nanoha's eyes widened

"No, we do not kill people" Fate answered "We merely erase their memory. We have skilled magus here that are capable of doing that but are unfit for actual combat."

"Indeed" Bardiche nodded "Right now, the only person capable of combatting the Belkans is the young mistress."

"What about you?" Raising Heart asked "You are like me and you seem to have knowledge of the enemy. Why arent you fighting them?"

"He is." Fate responded "However he was created by my mother after I was born so everything he knows was from her." she looked annoyed once her eyes settled on Nanoha "And she apparently placed some restrictions on him-or rather he can't use his full powers until certain conditions are met."

"Conditions?" Nanoha's interest piqued

"In any case" Fate brushed off the question "He is in change of handling the sealed off areas during battle in order to protect the people of this city." her eyes sharpened "So don't go battling around without asking me for permission."

"The enemy isn't so kind as to let you open up room on your schedule" Raising Heart mocked "And neither am I." they squared off for several moments "I am going to find a master to help me defeat the enemy. Try to get in my way and I'll reconsider letting you live." She bowed and then turned around, walking to the door casually."

"Wait-" Nanoha tried to call out but the woman was already out the door.

"What an uncontrollable Device..." Fate sighed after the door closed. "You should go home" she directed her attention to the other girl in the room "forget everything you saw and heard. Live a normal life. You have potential but no experience or knowledge, you'll just get yourself killed." her voice left no room for arguments

"..." the brunette looked down with a mixed expression and turned her eyes back to the door.

"Linith" the blond broke the silence again "Take Takamachi-san home."

"Hai"

**~xX*Xx~**

"I'm home..." Nanoha stated as she opened the door to her house.

"Welcome back" Momoko poked her head from the kitchen and greeted her with a smile "How was your sleepover?"

"Ah, er, it went well" she looked away, unable to lie directly into her mother's face.

"It was nice for Testarossa-san to invite you over like that. It's not everyday that you get to go visit a rich person's house you know."

"Yeah...it was nice"

"Is everything ok?"

"Mom..." she turned the question in her mind "can I ask for some advice?"

"Sure thing" the woman smiled and set two cups down on the table along with a small cake. "Ask away."

"Well we are trying to...develop a play of some kind and are trying to figure out the character roles and story development." she began, trying to find the best way to tell the truth without actually saying it outright "One of the characters has magical powers and she's using it to fight an evil force. She is looking for a master but she isn't accepting the help being offered in front of her, if that makes any sense."

Momoko nodded in acknowledgement

"There is also another character with similar abilities that doesn't want the first character to act on their own since its going to cause problems for everyone else around them." she continued. "They don't seem to hate each other, but their goals and methods can't seem to mesh well enough for them to work together."

"Ok."

"Now the character I am playing apparently has hidden magical potential too, but I don't have any idea how to use it." she darted her eyes across the room as she said that, knowing that her mother might think her odd for it. "The first character somehow used that hidden power and managed to beat one of the bad guys already."

"The one looking for a master?"

"Yes."

"And your question is how to develop your character from here, right?"

"Yes..."

"What does the main writer think?" Momoko put her cup down

"Well...we are sort of just trying to develop the story on the go right now ha ha ha~" her guilt compounded the more she lied to her mother.

"So all of you are in charge of your own character development huh?" she leaned back and thought for a moment "Why don't you let things be and see what happens next?"

"It just...doesnt feel right" she frowned at her cup of tea "It feels like I should do something. I want to help them in their fight, but they'll just think I am in the way."

"Why don't you talk to them then?" she offered "These other characters are your friends right? Sometimes you have to make your feelings known-you have to tell them what is on your mind or else they will never know what is going on with you."

"I see..."

"Why don't you start by inviting one of them over?" Momoko smiled "Even if you can't convince them, you should be able to show how sincere you are."

"Eh?" Nanoha reeled back "Invite them over?!" shock evident on her face "But its a-!"

"Even if it's just a story you all are putting together, it is best to have others know your views and position on things right? Didnt I just tell you that you have to talk to people? If you don't let everyone else know what direction you want your character to make, it will never go anywhere."

"All right..." she made up her mind "I'll do that." she raised her cup a little to ask for more tea "Would you mind if I went out for a bit later? I know it's getting a little late, but..."

"Sure you can go invite them over for the night" the woman read her daughter's mind "I'll have preparations ready for your return.

"Thanks mom" the girl stood up with a fresh look of determination in her eyes. "I'll be back soon" she waved at the door as she fumbled with her shoes.

The cold evening air kissed her cheek as she stepped out of the gate. Although she was determined in her goal, she had literally no idea where to start looking. The city was large and it would be literally impossible to find someone before sunrise. Nanoha frowned at her impulsive decision but knew she couldn't go back empty handed now.

"This is what I get for running out without thinking" she sighed to herself to kicked the rock that was in front of her. She continued kicking it for several moments before she looked up and noticed a familiar setting "Ah..." she breathed out. It was the place she first met the woman in white. She shivered and wrapped her arms around her when the wind blew around her. "Ah its cold..."

"What are you doing here?" A voice came from her side

"Ah!" Nanoha's eyes widened when she saw the person she was looking for "I..." she thought back on her conversation with her mother _"I want to talk to you. I want to know more about what is going on. I want to help if I can." _ All those thoughts flooded through her mind but she couldnt seem to voice them out.

Raising Heart stood patiently and amazingly still for how cold the area was. Since the city was near the ocean, the winds from the sea tend to embrace its surroundings with a cool blanket.

"I..." she began again, trying to figure out how to word everything that she wants to say in a simple sentence. "I..." it hit her. "I want to be your master."

The device's eyes narrowed slightly at the shivering girl in front of them. It was true that the girl had a latent power and it was true that they were compatible enough to perform an Ereinber Set, however...

"Ah, that just wont do..." a voice interrupted the silent conversation

"You..." Nanoha's eyes widened in shock when she recognized the figure standing on the top of the lamppost

"Nice to meet you" they grinned "or rather, its nice to see you again. Seeing as we've met before that is"

"..." Raising Heart diverted her attention at the silver-haired girl as she descended slowly to the ground

"Who are you?" Nanoha responded

"Ah. I'm Cinque" the girl bowed in an exaggerated fashion "I've come to take you back to where you belong" she pulled a dagger out of nowhere "Raising Heart."

* * *

_A/N: Fu fu fu~ Well looks like another battle is going to take place. Is Raising Heart strong enough on her own now to win? Will Nanoha be accepted as the new master? Will Fate try to intervene once more? We'll find out in the next chapter wont we~ The blue link is below (used to be green and I still automatically type that XD ) Let me know what you think~ orz_


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